On October 19-21, Göteborg, Sweden, will play host to the Marcus Wallenberg Symposium on “Numbers and Truth” where participants will discuss the philosophy and mathematics of arithmetic and truth. Numbers are the unseen heroes of our daily lives. Philosophers, scientists, designers and economists use numbers to make our ideas a reality, but the significance of numbers is often taken for granted. “Numbers and Truth” is an effort to take a deeper look at their values and significance.
In China, the number 1 is auspicious and symbolizes energy and unity. 4 in Norse mythology represents stability in the cosmos, and 5 in Hebrew is the number of stones David used to defeat Goliath and stands for strength. In Buddhism, the number 8 is the path to enlightenment. In China, ten symbolizes duality since it is the double of five (five represents totality).
Think about numbers and their significance in your life. I played 5 at soccer, 1 at cricket and 10 at rugby. Pick your number.